Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands lie almost 1000kms off the west coast of Ecuador and take just under 2 hours to fly from the mainland. There are over 60 exposed land masses lying both north and south of the equator, though only 13 of those would be classed as significantly large. Our boat - a catamaran is 25m x 10 m and takes a max. of 16 passenger (with an additional 10 crew including the guide). We started with 16 passengers for the first 4 days, then 5 left (doing the 4 day option) and we are now a 'select' eleven. In the 8 days / 7 nights we will visit 6 of the main islands. Each one is quite different (all volcanic, but vary significantly in age and consequently the amount of vegetation covering the island is different) and the animals and birds you find, vary too. It is not possible to visit this national park without a guide and the choice is a land based visit with day trips to different places or a boat trip of 4,5,8,11 days or longer. We have made use of the night time to travel between islands – sometimes 4 or 5 hours but as much as 7 hours – with a variety of swells to contend with (later in the season it is rougher, so that’s another advantage of coming now!!!) We are pleased we decided on the boat trip and waiting until we got to Ecuador proved the best decision (financially), as we took advantage of the last minute deals on offer. This trip would have cost more than double had we booked from N.Z. Each day we have walked and snorkelled at a different place.

So, we have seen the famous Blue Footed Boobies and since then, 2 other varieties (red footed,which are the best - beautiful fawn brown feathers, blue around their beaks and with their 'webbed' feet they sit and nest in trees!!!,  and Masked, or Narzca Boobies), the giant Frigate birds, land Iguanas, Storm Petrel bird, big Sally Lighfoot Crabs (red), giant tortoises, penquins, albatrosses, a snake constricting a lizard, giant centipedes, marine Iguanas, pink flamingoes and loads of other animals and birds and today (Friday), the highlight so far was snorkelling with the sea lions. The photos that we will share on the blog of the sealions are 'without' a zoom lens on my underwater camera!!!! They came that close you thought they would hit you before turning away. It was something amazing. In fact none of the animals here appear to be concerned about humans. We are told to keep 2 m from the animals but at times they come way closer to you, nest on the path and you have to scramble off the path to keep clear. A.J. stopped to have a drink the other day and a Red Footed Booy simply leaned out of it's tree nest looking like it was going to take a drink too!

You do come to the Galapagos to see the wildlife but also the landscape. The other day we walked on an ancient larva flow (it looked less than a year old), which was so wide, so barren and so contrasting to the surrounding landscape. And, not to forget to mention soooooo hot!! This is the 'transition season' for Galapagos when the water hasn't turned cold with the Humboldt current arriving but the air temperature is less hot and humid than earlier in the year. We think we have picked the best time but the busiest season is still to arrive (Nth American holiday season).

Photos following when the wi-Fi connection is better.